francisco. >> the big trip was to the emporium, and that was to meet santa claus. >> reporter: mike remembers his father dan, the driving force behind the sheer laugh out loud whimsical joy of christmas. he was a sales man and a gregarious man by nature. >> he did a all to do about catching santa claus, to race to the chimney and say, i got him. i got him. i got caught santa claus. and by the time i got down the stair, he was covered in soot. and the next year he got his boot out of the fireplace. and he said, i didn't get him this time but wait until next year. >> reporter: this christmas mike reserved the right to share his christmas joy with an old old friend teddy. >> i had it a couple of years but teddy was with me that christmas morning because i had gone to bed. i always kept teddy with me. he was my buddy. >> reporter: mike long ago moved away from that house on carnilian way. it's still there tonight and so are the memories. playing outside out front. the families together, the laughters, the characters creates a history more long lasting than the history being made in the